Symposium to explore saving and restoring seed in Hawaii
Seed is the foundation of a thriving local agricultural economy and is essential to the development of Hawaii’s food production, sustainability and self-reliance. The state now imports nearly 90 percent of its food and 99 percent of its seed, creating a vulnerable and dependent agricultural economy in the state.
Restoring and revitalizing the local seed industry is the goal of the Hua Ka Hua — Restore Our Seed Symposium on April 17 and 18 at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort in Kona. Farmers, gardeners and seed experts from around the state and Mainland will share ways to grow, select and save high quality seeds for both home and market during the symposium. Early registration ends March 15.
Participants will help plan a public seed initiative to support research and expertise in seed variety trials, selection, saving and storage, and collaborate on the development of an open-pollinated organic seed industry for market farmers and home gardeners.
The symposium features presentations by statewide and national seed experts on topics ranging from the history of Hawaiian crops and the state of seed in Hawaii to variety improvement, breeding and seed cleaning, saving and storage. Presenters include:
- Hector R. Valenzuela, Ph.D., Crop Extension Specialist, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Theodore J.K. Radovich, Ph.D., Sustainable Farming Systems Laboratory, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, UH Manoa
- Alvin Yoshinaga, Ph.D., Restoration Ecologist, Center for Conservation Research and Training, UH Manoa
- Matthew Dillon, director of advocacy, Organic Seed Alliance
- Micaela Colley, director of research and education, Organic Seed Alliance
- Frank Morton, Wild Garden Seeds in Philomath, Oregon
- John Navazio, Ph.D., research and education specialist for Organic Seed Alliance and Extension Plant Breeding, and seed specialist for Washington State University
- Jerry Konanui, expert in Hawaiian food plant varieties, their propagation, cultivation, harvesting, processing and use
The symposium includes a seed swap sponsored by Regeneration Botanical Garden of Kauai and information booths are available for a nominal fee to conference participants. A free public lecture will precede the symposium from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 16, at the resort. “The Story of Seed: Wild, Domesticated, Bred, and Engineered — Where Did We Begin and Where Might We Go?” will be presented by Dillon and Morton.
Registration is $100 by March 15; $150 after March 15 (cost includes buffet lunch for both days). To register, go to http://www.kohalacenter.org/seedsymposium/registration.html.
The Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort is offering a special symposium room rate. The symposium is hosted by The Kohala Center, with funding through a USDA Organic Research and Education Initiative grant. Other sponsors include the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management, UH Hilo; the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, UH Manoa; the County of Hawaii; and Keauhou-Kahaluu Education Group/Kamehameha Schools.
